And Then There Was The Doe
by PotterheadDemigodLamp
Summary: Lily's seventh-year would be uneventful, just mugging for her N.E.W.Ts, similar to her fifth-year. Or so she thought. With James Potter more involved in her life than ever before, is it possible that she will ever have a peaceful life?
1. Prologue

"Quidditch!" thought Lily happily. She was holding her all new Windwhipper 360, currently the newest and fastest broom of the time. She had played Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team since she was in second-year, and every summer when she looked forward to going back to Hogwarts, Quidditch was always one of the main reasons. The only bad thing about Quidditch was that James Potter was the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team; he had been since fifth-year. Like Lily, he had joined the team at second-year, playing as Chaser. The two were so good at Quidditch that they were nicknamed the 'Dynamic Duo', as they were the main reasons that Gryffindor always won the Quidditch cup. Sure, there were doubts when the Gryffindor team accepted not one, which was rare enough, but _two_ second years. After the first game of the season, Gryffindor vs Ravenclaw. Gryffindor thrashed Ravenclaw 840-160, setting an all new Hogwarts record for the greatest point difference of two teams in history. Needless to say, the doubts were quickly diminished and after, no one would admit that they doubted James and Lily again.

Other than Quidditch, James and Lily shared a lot in common (not that Lily wanted to admit that), including their dueling skill. They were excellent in dueling, with only Sirius Black being able to best them, and that was only if he was given a handicap. With the exception of Peter Pettigrew, the Mauraders were all proficient in dueling. In fact, Remus Lupin came close after Sirius as fourth in the school. As for James and Lily, their positions were always switching as first and second because they could never keep a winning streak against each other. Every time they dueled, it was considered a big event in Hogwarts and bets were exchanged betwee the other students in the favor of who would win.

The other depressing thing in Lily's life was that even though she was Head Girl, something that she had wanted to be since first year, James Potter was made Head Boy too. She still could not understand why Dumbledore would choose _James Potter_. For goodness' sake, she had already questioned the man's sanity when he chose James as Quidditch Captain in fifth-year. Well, this certainly proved that the old man was off his rocker.

Admittedly, James had gotten better and stopped hexing others for the fun of it. She was pretty sure he still did it to Snape, but she had come to the stage when she admitted that Snape was indeed, a deserving and slimy git. In fact, every time she saw the Mauraders bullying Snape in the corridors, she would be very reluctant to stop them. And she felt guilty about it. Wasn't she supposed to be the Head Girl? (Then again, as the Head Boy, James had no qualms about hurting Snape whatsoever.)

Just then, James knocked on Lily's dorm door. "Time to go, Lils," Lily liked James a lot more now, and had even allowed him to call her using the old nickname her father had given her when she was young. Their relationship had improved drastically, and now Lily was even James' date for the seventh-year welcome-back ball, held right after Christmas. Not that she had a choice though; it was a tradition that the Head Girl and Head Boy go to the ball together.

She picked up her book and opened the door. She hardly spared James a glance and grabbed his arm. "Come on, we're gonna be late," she mumbled. James glanced at the book under her arm and chuckled, shaking his head. Plainly amused, he followed her out of their private dormitory. Without a word, he ushered Lily back into the Great Hall and with a great roar at their arrival, the ball started.

* * *

After the ball, Lily and James went back to their dormitory eagerly. They knew they had to get as much rest as possible because they were on patrol duty that night (Why, McGonagall, why?). Tiredly, they both stumbled up to their respective dormitory and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

At midnight, James and Lily woke up and started their rounds. The first few minutes were in silence as they were both too sleepy to talk. However, after they passed the first few levels, James had awoken enough to start a conversation, and Lily grudgingly complied.

"So, did you like the ball just now?" he asked.

"I guess," Lily dignified an answer and refused to speak more.

After a few unsuccessful tries to get Lily to open up, James finally gave up and the two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence. Lily was literally asleep on her feet, several times she stumbled and almost fell. James, noticing this, steadied her with one arm on her elbow. He smirked and commented, "Not used to sleeping late, are you, Goody-Two-Shoes?"

"Shut up," yawned Lily, scowling at James.

A few minutes later, though, Lily ventured curiously, "Do _you_ sleep late that often that you are used to this, then?" James just quirked an eyebrow at her and chuckled. Lily rolled her eyes, smiling. Did she even have to ask? If all the stories James had told her were true, he and his friends robbed the castle's kitchens almost every night ("What do you mean it's wrong? A growing boy needs his strength!")

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by a howl from the distance. Both she and James froze and turned instinctively towards the brightly lit window conveniently located beside them. Wait a minute. Brightly lit? Lily gazed up at the sky. She found her answer immediately.

Hanging in the sky, as if mocking her, was a silvery orb, which had just emerged from the misty clouds.

Tonight was a full moon.


	2. Animagus

**Sorry I haven't updated in so long! My exams ended a month ago, but I had to help my family pack stuff as we are moving soon.**

* * *

James had noticed too. He gasped and cursed inwardly at his own forgetfulness. Slowly, his mind was putting the pieces of information that happened that night which he had not registered.

"Oh no oh no oh no oh no," muttered James wildly and running a hand through his hair. He hurriedly excused himself from Lily, telling her that he wasn't feeling well and needed the hospital wing. Reassuring her that he would be alright and ensuring that his invisibility cloak was in his pocket, James darted off to the Forest to join his friends, where Remus had undoubtedly transformed already.

Lily watched James round the corner anxiously. How could she have forgotten? She had figured Remus' 'furry little problem' in their first year. Out of respect, she had not mentioned it to anyone, not even to her best friends. While Snape had been making wild guesses at where the Mauraders went in the dead of the night, she kept trying to lead him away from the truth.

After Remus knew that she knew about him, he tried to make her forget about it, but all it had done was make Lily more determined to help him. (She had heard about how transformation from man to wolf hurt a lot.) Like the Mauraders, Lily became an Animagus in her fifth year. She could now turn into a doe and back at her own will, something she was immensely proud of. When she learned that the Mauraders had also turned Animagus for their friends, she was disappointed, for all her hard work was useless. Now, however, she wanted to help, and put her Animagus form to good use, for once. She set off after James at a safe distance.

* * *

In the Forest, Prongs **(A/N From now on I shall call the Mauraders their nicknames when they are in animal form)** in stag form had already found his friends. Padfoot already had a slash across his muzzle, and he glared at Prongs reproachfully as he approached. Padfoot's steadily dripping blood was staining the ground red. Prongs, who was as out of breath as a stag could be, apologised profusely. Now, with both the dog and the stag present, Moony could be easily kept under control.

Or so he thought. Moony was shifting nervously on his haunches. Prongs was worried; Moony had never been so restless before. And besides, Moony had managed to learn how to somewhat gain control of his wolfish counterpart a few months ago. Why did he suddenly wound Padfoot again? The next moment, Moony pounced. Faster than thought, he leapt up and dove into the cover of trees in the forest. Immediately, Padfoot and Prongs followed, Wormtail hanging on to Prongs. "What are you doing?!" barked Padfoot, "Where are you going?" But either the Remus in Moony did not hear, or could not respond.

Suddenly, Moony slowed down to a trot. A growl rose from the back of his throat, and he replied, "I sense something's not right. It's foreign, I've never had this scent before."

"Wow, Moony the nature protector," snorted Padfoot, "Change of job again, huh?"

"I'm serious," insisted Moony.

"Wait, what? I'm Sirius!"

Moony rolled his wolf eyes at his friend's childishness and walked on.

Then he stopped. He had found the thing emitting the foreign scent. Standing in the middle of the clearing, a doe was sniffing the ground nervously, as if trying to find a scent. Suddenly, surprising himself as much as the others, the restless canine in Moony took over again and launched itself at the doe.

"Noooooo!" Padfoot and Prongs leapt into action. They intercepted him mid-lunge and steered him away from the doe. The doe noticed the werewolf pouncing, and skittered sideways fearfully. But today was not a good one for the werewolf. His canine instincts kicking in, Moony leapt onto the doe, snarling and spitting. It was with great difficulty that Padfoot and Prongs managed to pull him away.

The doe yelped in fear and pain and bolted. Prongs, who felt an unexplainable connection to this doe, left Padfoot to deal with Moony and bounded after the doe. He skidded to a stop when the doe's scent disappeared, replaced by -

"Lily?"


End file.
